17-oxygenated 1-alkoxy-4-methylestra-1, 3, 5(10)-trien-16-ones and intermediates



United States Patent 17 -OXYGENAT ED l-ALKOXY 4 METHYLESTRA- 1,3,'5(10)-'I'RIEN-16-ONE'S AND INTERMEDIATES Willard M. Hoehn, Wilmette, 'Ill., assignor to G. D. Searle & 'Co., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Filed Nov. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 851,559

7 Claims. (Cl. 260-'397.4)

The present invention is concernedgenerally with novel 16-ketosteroids and, more particularly, with l7-oxygenated 1 alkoxy 4-methylestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-l6-ones of the structural formula wherein R is a lower alkyl radical vand R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkanoyl radicals. The lower alkyl radicalsrepresented by R are exemplified by methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, and the branched-chain isomers thereof. Examples of lower alkanoyl radicals as designated by R are formyl, 'acetyl, propionyl, butyryl, valeryl, caproyl, and the branched, chain isomers thereof; said groups being the acyl radicals of alkanoic acids containing fewer than 7 carbon atoms.

The present invention encompasses also novel intermediates in the manufacture of the .16-keto compounds designated supra. These intermediates can be illustrated by the structural formula I OH:

wherein X is selected from a group consisting of carbonyl, p-hydroxymethylene, and B-(lower alkanoyl)oxymethylene radicals, and R is a lower alkyl radical as defined supra.

A suitable starting material for the manufacture of the instant compounds is 1-hydroxy-4-rnethylestra-1,3,5(10)- trien-l7-one. By reaction of the latter phenol with a dialkyl sulfate or an an alkyl halide in the presence of a suitable alkaline catalyst, the hydroxyl group is etherified to aflord the corresponding l-(lower al-koxy)-4-meth ylestra-l,3,5(10)-trien-17-one. As a specific example, reaction of the aforementioned phenol with propyl iodide and potassium carbonate results in l-propoxy-4-methylestra-1,3,5 10)-trien-17-one.

When these l-(lower alkoxy)-4-methylestra-1,3,5(10)- trien-l7-ones are treated with benzaldehyde in an alkaline medium, the instant 16-benzylidene-17-keto compounds are obtained. Thus, 1-methoxy-4-methy1estra- 1,3,5(10) -trien-l7-one is treated with eenzamefiydaiid methanolic sodium methoxide to produce 16-benzylidene- 1-methoxy-4-methylestra-1,3,5( 10) -trien-l 7-one. Reduo tion of these 17-keto compounds, suitably with sodium borohydride in an appropriate solvent, results in the cor: responding 17B-hydroxy substances. This process is exemplified by the reaction of the aforementioned 1- methoxy-4-methylestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-one with so dium borohydride in aqueous isopropyl alcohol, result ing in 16-benzylidene-1methoxy-4-methylestra-1,3,5(10)- trien 17 3 01. Esterification of these 17,B-ols, suitably with" an alkanoic acid anhydride in pyridine, produces the in stant 17,9 (lower alkanoyDoxy l6-benzylidene com pounds. Typically, 1G-benzylidene-l-methoxy-4-methylestra-l,3,5(10)-trien-17B-ol is treated with acetic anhy dride and pyridine to afford 17 8-acetoxy-16-benzylidene 1-rnethoxy-4-methylestra-1,3,5 10)-triene.

The 17 3- (lower allcanoyn oxy --1-(lower al-koxy)-4- methyles tra-1,3 ,5(10)-trien-l6-ones of this invention can be produced by treating the aforementioned 17B-(lowe1j alkanoyl)-16-benzylidene compounds with ozone in a suitable organic solvent. For example, the reaction of 17,3 acetoxy 16-benzylidene-1-methoxy-4-methylestra 1,3,5(10)-triene with ozone in a methylene chloridemethanol mixture at 70? results in 17 8-acetoxy-l-methoxy-4-methylestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-16-one; In a similar manner, the instant 1- (low'er. alkoxy)- 17B-hydroxy-{1 methylestra 1,3,'5(10) ,trien-16-ones are produced by ozonolysislof the corresponding 16 benzylidene compounds; 'This process is illustrated by the. conversionof l6 -ben'zylidene1- 1 methoxy 4 methylestra 1,3, 5 10) -trien- 1 7 8:ol to l7fl-hydroxy-1-methoxy-4-methyL ewe-1350 fi n The 16-keto compounds of this invention are useful as a result of their valuable pharmacological -prope rtie s: They are, for example, estrogen antagonists in conse? quence of their ability to inhibit thewvaginal alterations effected by estrogenic substances. H V w The invention will appear more fully from the .exafn ples which follow. These examples are set forth'byway of illustration only and it will be understood that the invention is not to be construed as limited in spirit or. in scope by the details contained therein, as many modifi. cations in materials and methods will be apparent from this disclosure to those skilled in the art. In these ex amples temperatures are given in degrees centigrade C.). Quantities of materials are expressed in parts by weight unless otherwise noted.

Example 1 To a solution of 4 parts of 1-methoxy-4-methylestra- 1,3,5(10)-tIien-l7-one and 3 parts of benzaldehyde in 30 parts of ethanol is added 40 parts of methanolic sodium methoxide (prepared from the reaction of 1.25 parts of sodium with the appropriate quantity of methanol). This reaction mixture is heated at reflux for about 30 minutes, cooled, diluted with water, and extracted with a 1:1 ether-benzene solution. The organic extract is washed to neutrality with dilute hydrochloric acid, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure to afford l6- benzylidene 1 methoxy 4 methylestra 1,3,5(10) trien-17-one.

The substitution of an equivalent quantity of 4-rnethyl- 1-propoxyestra-l,3,5(10)-trien:17-one in the instantprocess results in l6-benzylidene-4-methyl-l-propoxyestra l, 3,5 10)-trien-17-one. Example 3 By substituting an equivalent quantity of 16-benzylidene-4-methyl-1-propoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17 one in the herein-described process, 16-benzylidene-4-methy1-lpropoxyestra-1,3,5 10) -trienl7,B-ol is obtained.

Example 4 A mixture of 3.8 parts of 16-benzylidene-1-methoxy-4- methylestra-l,3,5(10)-trien-17e-ol, 25 parts of acetic anhydride, and 25 parts of pyridine is heated on a Steam bath for about one hour. The reaction mixture is diluted with water to produce a gum, which is dissolved in methanol and reprecipitated by dilution with water. This gum is extracted with benzene and the benzene extract evaporated to dryness in vacuo to produce 175- acetoxy-lo-benzylidene-l-methoxy 4 methylestra-1,3, (10)-t1iene.

The substitution of equivalent quantities of 16-benzylidene-4-methyl-l-propoxyestra-l ,3,5 -trien-17 8-01 and of butyric anhydride in the procedure of this example results in 1fi-benzylidene-17fl-butyroxy-4-methyl1-propoxyestra-1,3,5 (10)-triene.

Example 5 A solution of 4 parts of 17p-acetoxy-16-benzylidene-1- methoxy-4-methylestra-1,3,5(10)-triene in 80 parts of methylene chloride and 24 parts of methanol is treated with ozone at 70 until ozonolysis is complete. The ozonide is decomposed by treating the reaction mixture with one part of zinc dust and two parts of acetic acid for about 10 minutes. The unreacted benzaldehyde is removed by steam distillation and the aqueous residue extracted with ether. The organic layer is separated, washed with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure. The residue is dissolved in benzene and adsorbed on silica gel. Elution of this chromatographic column with 2% ethyl acetate in benzene affords a solid product which is triturated with methanol to yield pure l7fl-acetoxy-lmethoxy-4-methylestra-1,3,5 (10) trien 16 one, M.P. 193-195.

The substitution of an equivalent quantity of 16-benzylidene-4-methyl-l-methoxy l,3,5 (10)-trien-17fl 01 or 16-benzylidene-l7B-butyroxy-4-methyl 1 propoxyestra- 1,3,5(10)-triene in the herein-described process results in 17,3-hydroxy-4-methyl-1-methoxyestra 1,3,5 (10) --trien 16-one and 175- butyroxy-4-methyl-l-propoxyestra-l,3,5 (10)-trien-16-one.

What is claimed is:

l. A compound of the structural formula I CH3 wherein R is a lower alkyl radical and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkanoyl radicals.

2. 17fi-acetoxy-1-methoxy 4 methylestra-1,3,5(10)- trien-16-one.

3. 1718-hydroxy-1-methoxy 4 methylestra-1,3,5(10)- trien-16-one.

4. A compound of the structural formula I CH: wherein R is a lower alkyl radical, and X is selected from the group consisting of carbonyl, ,B'hydroxymethylene, and p-(lower alkanoy1)oxymethylene radicals.

5. 17B-acetoxy-16-benzylidene-l-methoxy 4 methylestra-1,3,5(10)-triene.

6. 16-benzylidene-1-methoxy-4-methylestra 1,3,5 (10 trien-17 [3-01.

7. 16-benzylidene-1-methoxy-4-methylestra 1,3,5-(10- trien-17-one.

References Cited in the file of this patent Dodson et al.: J.A.C.S., vol. 5004-5 1958. 

1. A COMPOUND OF THE STRUCTURAL FORMULA 